Support Medicaid expansion to save money and to save lives

Republican and Democratic governors nationwide - Michigan included - are enthusiastically embracing a key provision of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) that will save state taxpayers money while providing health insurance and care to millions of uninsured adults.

One part of the ACA allows states to choose to expand their Medicaid health insurance programs to low-income, uninsured adults.

The vast majority of the people who will gain insurance are working adults.

Unfortunately, their jobs don't include health insurance, and their pay is too low to afford private insurance but too high to qualify for Medicaid under current rules.

In Michigan, it is estimated the expansion will provide insurance to 450,000 uninsured adults.

In Calhoun County, it is estimated to provide insurance to over 7,800 uninsured adults.

The expansion is strongly supported by Gov. Rick Snyder, leading Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature, the state's top health care organizations, key business groups and others, including The Coordinating Council.

We support the Medicaid expansion because it will save money and save lives.

Here are some compelling reasons we support the Medicaid expansion in Michigan:

? The federal government will pay 100 percent of Michigan's expansion costs for the first three years (2014, 2015 and 2016).

Eventually (starting in 2020), states will be required to pay 10 percent of the cost, with the federal government paying 90 percent thereafter.

Michigan will receive about $2 billion a year from the federal government to pay for the expansion.

? The state will save about $1 billion over a decade as the federal government's appropriations cover Medicaid services currently funded by state taxpayers.

These savings have been quantified by multiple studies and analyses conducted since last summer by Republican, Democrat, university and other independent researchers.

? Hundreds of thousands of Michigan adults will get access to care that will keep them healthier and prevent potential illness.

In addition, far fewer people who have no insurance and can't afford to pay for care will present for treatment at Michigan hospitals.

Currently, Michigan hospitals provides more than $880 million a year in uncompensated care to patients unable to pay, costs that end up being shifted to people who have insurance, employers and taxpayers.

? Gov. Rick Snyder has been extremely clear in his belief that the expansion will help protect 300, 000 or more of Michigan's most vulnerable residents in the next year alone.

? The expansion will save lives and improve the physical and mental health of Michigan citizens.

Decades of research has demonstrated that regular access to health care treatment and services keeps people healthier.

? Roughly half of all Michigan births were eligible for Medicaid in 2010.

The problem is that almost half of these uninsured low-income women, who are at the highest risk for unhealthy births, were eligible only during the pregnancy.

The Medicaid expansion would allow access to care for more women before and between pregnancies, improving women's health, birth outcomes and overall infant/child health.

? The expansion will reduce health care costs for everyone. Decades of research has demonstrated that healthier people get sick less often and cost less to treat when they need care.

? Medicaid expansion will provide coverage options for small businesses and create a healthier workforce to improve the state's economic competitiveness.

It is estimated Michigan will gain 18,000 new jobs and $2.1 billion in new economic activity as a result of the expansion.

For the reasons outlined above, it is imperative that Michigan's Legislature approve the Medicaid expansion in the state's FY 2014 budget, which takes effect October 1.

Please join us in urging the Legislature to pass the Medicaid expansion to save money and save lives - in Michigan and in Calhoun County.

A.J. Jones, Family Health Center of Battle Creek

Al Schipper, Summit Pointe Board Member

Anji Phillips, The Coordinating Council

Ann Gallagher, Family Health Center of Battle Creek Board Member

Barbara Comai, Family Health Center of Battle Creek Board Member

Beth Green

Bill Mayer, MD

Brad Casemore, Venture Behavioral Health

Carl A. Gibson, PhD, Calhoun County Senior Services

Charles Crider, Retired Director Calhoun Community High School

Chris Sargent, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region

Cindy Fadel

Connie Kennedy, Community Unlimited

Diana Buist, R.D., Calhoun County Public Health Department

Donna Mahoney, Calhoun County Medical Care Facility

Elaine Hunsicker, Haven of Rest

Eleanor Cochran, Consumer and Family Health Center of Battle Creek Board Member